Johnson starting on a sticky wicket

Boris Johnson

 

By Ray O’Hanlon

It could turn out be a metaphor for his term as prime minister.

On the day that Boris Johnson entered Number 10 Downing Street as the United Kingdom’s new prime minister, the cricketers of England and Ireland were battling it out in the first day of their first ever test match at the Lord’s cricket ground in London.

The Irish bowled their hosts out for a mere 85 runs.

And this was England, the winners of the recent World Cup, albeit captained by an Irishman.

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This wouldn’t be good news for Johnson who appears intent on leading his land back to a global dominance the likes of which was last apparent when India was still the jewel in the crown.

The world has moved on of course.

India is now an independent republic, and even in next door Ireland Johnson’s opposite number bears an Indian name.

This has seemingly confused Boris. And that’s being kind.

His jibe of a few years back aimed at Leo Varadkar: “Why isn’t he called Murphy like all the rest of them?” could well come back to haunt Johnson as he proceeds deeper into his self-styled Churchillian premiership.

As it happened, there was no Murphy on the Irish cricket team that did the business in England’s heat-stroked land earlier today.

But there is a guy by the name of Simranjit Singh in the Irish roster.

Boris Johnson will have considerable dealings with Leo Varadkar and the taoiseach’s Ireland in the coming weeks and months.

Brexit will be his daily bread, and perhaps his daily torment.

And at the end of it all Boris Johnson, “Bojo” in the pluckier British tabloid headlines, could find himself bowled out - foot in mouth before wicket.

 

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